


Alien Rituals Strike Again

by LadyYueh



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-12
Updated: 2010-06-12
Packaged: 2017-10-10 02:21:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/94179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyYueh/pseuds/LadyYueh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No one ever warned you about the awkward rituals when they tried to recruit you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alien Rituals Strike Again

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Soul Bond Fest on LJ. Betaed by the fantastic and awesome iambickilometer, but all the mistakes are mine.

Most people related Starfleet with thoughts of: space exploration, adventures, and alien tail. All the other stuff, the pain, death, mind-numbing boredom, heart seizing fear, and soul crushing humiliation were glossed over. A lot.

Making first contact with new civilizations was a hit and miss operation. Cultural misunderstandings and linguistic mistakes abounded and no one ever warned you about the awkward rituals when they tried to recruit you either.

This time, the team only had to touch a pale section of wall that glittered slightly under the light of the planet's three moons.

Simple.

Until Kirk felt like all his senses were exploding, like he was dying in the worst way possible.

'Yeah, definitely par for the course.'

***

Waking up after blacking out was familiar. Learning that the ritual was a little more complicated than just touching granite was too.

"Bonded?" Jim tests the word out skeptically.

From what he can see, Sulu is perfectly composed in the biobed next to him, except that he can _feel_ the impression of panic that isn't his, like a dim reflection.

"It's opened up unused portions of your brains. We've been talking to the natives and analyzing the point of contact, but so far we haven't found anything to help us reverse the process. Thankfully, there's no telepathy involved, you won't be sharing each other's thoughts or memories—" Bones stops. They turn to Sulu who's making violent sounds that could maybe be called laughter.

"That's a real comfort," Sulu murmurs darkly.

Bones frowns. "I know it's not, but it could be worse. What you felt at the beginning was only the initial connection being established, it will never be as bad as that. You'll sense each other's moods faintly, but not overwhelmingly unless you make physical contact and even then it's only slightly amplified. There's no compulsion to be close to each other and no physical consequence for the other if one of you gets hurt."

"Do we know why it only affected us?"

Bones pins them both with a look. "Apparently, it happens between established, _romantic_ couples. That's why it's called the Soulmate Stone."

Jim exchanges a look with Sulu and they both give Bones identical blank expressions. Jim throws in a shrug for variety. Bones makes an aggravated face and glares at them before stalking off.

They're alone.

Jim migrates to Hikaru's bed, shocked every single time their bodies make contact by the stronger sensation of Hikaru's feelings, the panic and fear that's hidden. He doesn't think about what Hikaru's getting from him.

"It'll be okay," Jim says. He can feel the disbelief, but also a real sense of comfort which makes him feel better. It loops and loops. Hikaru burrows closer, tangles their hands together, and they just _feel._

"Okay," Hikaru finally agrees truthfully with affection and trust.

"Imagine the sex, though." Jim leers.

Hikaru pokes him, but the affection that Jim can feel on his lips as they kiss is all that matters.


End file.
